The herd mentality has been very much in evidence in Washington, DC, the last few weeks. Make a deal, a "compromise," a "bipartisan" agreement; strike that "grand bargain," find the "middle ground," let's "move forward," let's make that "shared sacrifice," it's a "win-win situation," and by all means, make sure you're not "left behind."
Whatever. I never felt the urge to follow the herd. Particularly when it was heading over a cliff.
If the herd is moving in a good direction, I join it. If the herd is moving in a bad direction, I leave it. And if I see the opportunity to move the herd in a better direction, I take it. Sometimes that opportunity can be in the media, sometimes in a caucus meeting, sometimes with a bill or an amendment, and sometimes just a conversation with the right people.
That's leadership. As opposed to polling what's on people's minds, and then repeating it ad nauseam. That's pandering. I won't do that.
The easiest thing in the world is just to go with the flow. Just do what you're told. But if 700,000 people choose you to be their Representative, their only Representative, and they're depending on you, then they deserve more than that. As does all America.
They deserve original thought. And independent action.
Because if you are an elected official, a lawmaker, and all you do is follow the other lemmings, then when you reach the edge of the cliff, you're not the only one who falls. So do all the people who are depending on you. The unemployed. The sick. The poor. The children. Your mother and father, and everyone else's mother and father. When you fall over that cliff, then you take all of them down with you.
So it just can't be that way. If you want the job, then sometimes you have to have the strength, and the courage, to make up your own mind, and do what's right. No matter which way the mob may be moving.
Stand on principle. Join our campaign. Show your support.
Courage,
Alan Grayson
"You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows." Bob Dylan, "Subterranean Homesick Blues" (1965).
Follow Alan Grayson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/alangrayson
As always, you have my utmost respect and continued support.
Now let's take a look at another piece from that last line. "Weatherman". Who doesn't like a good weatherman from time to time? I know I wish the weatherman in my area could get the forcast right. But wait, there is something else that I recall from the 1960s. Weatherman........Weatherman.......oh, now it's coming back to me, wasn't there a group in the 1960s who called themselves the Weathermen? Yeah, I'm sure of it. Which Weatherman would you be tipping your hat to there Grayson? The one who gives us the forecast? Or the one who went running around blowing stuff up back in the 60s? You're not condoning violence........are you? Nah, you probably just love the weather.
Count me in!
All leaders exercise power,authority,and influence. The bad ones use their leadership to cause harm.
The good ones use it to do what is right. No leader can do it all by himself but he can nudge others to do the right thing. Alan Grayson stood up in Congress and fought for the folks back home to have the right for good health care.
He was ridiculed by the Republicans for doing the right thing. Some in his own party thought he was too severe.He wasn't. The GOP launched a major attack on him to replace him with someone who wouldn't remind them that they had a conscience and a duty to their people. Unfortunately, he lost but he was never forgotten. We need him now more than ever. We need someone with a conscience and the courage to speak out. I am from Ohio but I intend to support his campaign.
I hope the good people of Florida realize what they lost and return him to office.
I don't care if it's green or democratic socialist ticket.. time for real leaders who represent the people to carry a 3RD PARTY TICKET... and if they refuse to let you debate.. take it to the supreme court!
It doesn't have to be Grayson, but it has to be somebody. Once we look down far enough too see where the economy is headed, people will realize that America will want to replace almost every elected representative out there, the entire damn Old Guard. It starts with Obama, but I guess we'll have to wait until unemployment goes above 10% (with underemployment nearly double that) for appeasing the Austerity Right before enough liberals will get behind a primary challenger. It's coming. Not next week, but this economy isn't going to be defendable in any way for sitting incumbents in 2012. That includes Republicans, the common wisdom that it all falls on Obama is false. But Obama will get politically pummeled too. There will be room for a true liberal firebrand by then, if only we do what is necessary right now to propel a primary challenge and the grass roots enthusiasm needed behind it.
"Why are they telling us. We Americans all know this, already".
The real question should be directed at all those receipients of tax breaks and subsidies. The claim has always been that job creation would be our return on these rewards. So why aren't they expanding and bring jobs back from overseas? No price increases either, guaranteed. They could infuse the economy by willingly paying a little more to manufacture goods in America. Why not? They still would make huge profits and better wages for the working folks means a larger base that can afford bigger ticket items like cars and homes while also pumping cash into their local economy.
Our leaders should be fighting to IMPROVE wages and our living conditions. That would be good for this country.
But I don't see that happening. No They would rather watch the suffering because they don't want to do it while Obama's in office. How small and pathetic and wimpy they have allowed themselves to become. Like a jr. hi mean girl club with money.